Variable-speed gear.



P. C. WILLIAMSON; VARIABLE SPEED GEAR. APPLICATION FILED HAY 19, 190s.A

Patented June l, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

U W/TNESSES Z if B. C. WILLIAMSON. .VARIABLE gP-BBD GEAR.- PPLIOATION 311.1111 nu 1.9.1909. A y 923,472. Patented June 1, 190i?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTOHNE YS PERRY C, WILLIAMSON, OF OAKLAND, CALFORNIA.

VARIABLE-SPEED GEAR.

.lt-T0. 923,472.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented June 1, 1909.

Application filed Meritis 1908. Serial No. 433,651,

To alll whom it may conce/rn:

lie it known that I, PERRY C. WILLIAM- soiv., a citizen of the Unit-ed States, and a r ident of Oakland, in the county of Alameda and Sta-te of Californim'have invented a new and Improved Variable-Speed Gear,

' of which the following is a full, clear, and

l j exact oescription.

ihis invention relates to variable speed `nears, and is particularly useful in con` neetion with motor-driven vehicles and the like.V n A More specifically, the invention relates to a variable speed gear for operatively conf.

porting the motor and the driving Wheels of an automobile, or the propeller of a motortwat or the like, and comprises friction :ks, driving and drivenrollers .movably engaging the disks and simultaneously opcralle so 'that the change in the speed of rotation of the driven rollers is a multiple of the change of speed of the driven disks, and in which the disks are operable to re-l lease the rollers. Y

.in object of the invention is to provide simple, strong and efficient variable speed for use inl connection with motoren yvehicles and the like, which is comratively inexpensive to manufacture, which can be operated with ease and preeisicn to vary 'the speed or to lreverse the iven parts, and which, when applied to a *or-driven vehicle obviates 'the necessity o.Y differential gear.

A further object of the invention is to erovide a device of the class described, for transmitting power from a motor to a driven object, by means of friction disks and rollers, which permits the speed to be varied between wide limits by comparatively all changes in position of the parts, and which to a large extent obviates strainl on the bearings of the shafts carrying thecon- Vtact friction members.

The' invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described, hereinafter and particularly setforth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanydrawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate Corresponding parts in all the i and-in whirliignre l is a plan view of an automobile "has s having my invention applied thereto; if I is an venlarged transverse section on ti-oiled bv one of the driven rollers.

the line of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is an enlarged trinsverse section on the line 3 3 of 1; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line of Fig. 2; ancLFig. 5 is a' transverse section'oii the line 5 5 of Fig. l.

Before proceeding to a more detailed ex.- planat-ion of `my invention, it should be clearly understood that one of the main objets of the saine isv to obviate the strain upon the bearings of the shafts carrying the friction disks.

In variable speed friction gearing of the usual type, there is consider'- able 'strain upon the bearings `Which tends to shorten the life of the mechanism and causes considerable losses in power. The arrangement of the parts of my invention doesaway with this strainto a large extent owing to the provision of three friction disks, between each adjacent two of which the driven and driving friction rollers are arranged, so that the strain due to the contact pressure between the disks of the rollers is taken up by the disks themselves. The driving rollers and the driven rollers of my gear are simultaneously operable in different directions with respect to the friction disks, so that as the driving rollers are moved to increase the speed of the disks the driven rollers' are correspondingly moved too, and thus the rate of speed change is practically denbled For' example, as a. driving rollerl isnioved from the periphery toward the center of a disk, thespeed of the driving roller remaining constant, the speed of the disk driven thereby increases; at the same' time the driven roller actuated by the disl is moving from the center toward the periphery of the disk and its speedis therefore correspondingly increased. lt will be easily seen that by this arrangement the speed changes are rendered `more rapid, and a wider limi-t of change is offered than when one of the rollers, that is, either thc driving or the driven lollcr alone, is movable transversely of the disk.

.l provide a driving axle in two sections, each of wliicli has a bevel gear adapted to be engaged by one of two bevel gears con- Br shifting the shaft carrying the two bevel gears, the diret-tion of rotation of each axle section can be easily reve-mid. while this construction obviates the necessity of a difH ferent-iai gear. n

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 represents a motor vehicle chassis of any preferred or common form, havingA longitudinal frame members 11 and cross frame members 12 upon which is journaled the engine sha-ft 13 driven by the motor 14.

The shaft 13 has a spur gear 15 in mesh with a second spur gear 16 carried upon a shaft 17 of angular cross section, A secondl similar 'shaft 18 is o eratively con-v strained to rotate therewith, and having at the end a driving friction roller'21.

A bar22 is pivotally mounted upon one' of the longitudinal frame members 11, and carries aA plate having bearings 24 in which are journaled the sleeves 2O upon the shafts17 and 18. The plate 23 has an opening in which is arranged a bolt 25 extending through a slot 26 of the bar 22, so that the plate 23 can move slidably upon the bar when the vlatter is swung from one -position to another, as is indicated in dottedv outline in Fig. 1. 'A' link 27 connects the free end of the bar 22 with an arm 28 rigid with a pedal 29a loosely'mounted upon a pedal shaft 30. Thus the driver of the motor vehicle can control the sleeves 20'by means of the pedal 29, to shift the driving rollers 21 backward or forward, for a purpose which will appear more clearly hereinafter. A cross shaft 30 has the ends jomnaled in suitable bearings of the longitudinal frame 'members 11, and adjacent to the latter has portions 31 of angular section, between which is a portion 32 of circular section.v A friction disk 33 having a sleeve. 34, and suitably formed for the purpose, is i'ynountcdupon one of the portions 31, whereby the shaft 30 Vis constrained to rotate with the disk 253. Adjacent to the frame members 11, the 'shaft 30 has threaded portions 35 upon which are arranged adjusting nuts 36 adapted to be locked in posltion by means of set screws 37. A frictiondisk 38A is loosely mounted upon the portion 32 of the shafl'l 3() and is separated from the disk 33 by mean@ o a sleeve 3S)4 within which the portion 3; is l'ree to rotate and which sleeve comprises in lepomlemly niovable sertions 39 and 9.9".' the 'l'ornler boing substan lially l..l-sl1aj')ed` jl'urtlier friction disk 4() harias; an opening oi' angular sect ion is suitably mounted upon the other of the portions 3l. and is separated from the disk 38 by a second sectional sleeve 39 within which the portion 32 is free to rotate. A sleeve 41- of angular section is mounted upon the portion 31 of the shaft 30 adjacent to the disk 40, and is constrained .to rotate with the shaft. `A`collar 42 is loosely mounted upon the sleeve 41 and has an annular groove 43 in which are arranged slidable blocks 44 having pins 45 pivotally located in openings of a ring-46 encompassing the collarv 42 and having rigid extensions 47L forming a lever controlling the ring. The lever is pivoted at .one end upon one of theframe members 11 and is connected by means of a link 48 with a bell crank lever 49 pivbted 4upon the opposite-member l11 and joined by means of a link 50, an arm 51 anda pintle`52 with a hand lever 53, by means of which the collar 42 can be lmanually controlled. ,The collar has ears .54 carrying pivoted toggles', the

- opposite ends of which `are pivotally mounted at the end of thesleeve 41 adjacent to the diskl 40, and have extensions 56, adaptedto engage thedisk ,40'.- By swinging the lever 47 toward the disk .40 the collar 42 is ac-' tuated to shorten the toggles 55, whereby the extensions 56 are forced against the disk 40 and tlius tend to force the lat-ter toward As the driving `rollers 21 arerarranged between the disk 33 and the disk 38, and the disk 38 and the disk 40 re-A spectively, this movement of the collar serves yto `engage the disks and the rollersfrmly 'By means of the bar 22 the rollers 21 canbe vmoved radially of the disks to vary the speed with which the latter are driven.

The sleeves 39, at the opposite sidesL have .i

bearings 57 in certain of which are journaled the ends of the shafts 17 and 18 which ,are

suitably formed for the purpose. Shafts 58, substantially parallel, and of` angular sec tion, have suitably formed ends journaled in the bearings 57 at the rear of the sleeves 39, and have slidably mounted thereon suitably formed sleeves 59 carrying rigid driven rollers 60, each located between the disks of an adjacentpair. A, movable plate 61 has bearings 62 in which the sleeves 59 are journaled and is rigidly connected by means of rods 63 with the plate 23, so that the sleeves 59 andthe rollers 60 are constrained to move simultaneously with'the sleeves 20 and the rollers 21. lt will be understood that as the rollers 21 are moved in one directionwith respect to the disks the rollers 60 are moved in an opposite direction and thereby the changes in speed are etlected with greater -rapidily and with smaller adjustments thanv in the ordinai'y friction gears of this type.

At the roar end of the clxassis is located a goal' casing. ot ha vingaxle sleeves 65 at opposite sides, in each of which is arranged a section 66 of a driving axle carrying one of the driving wheels v67. The shafts 58I are 'journaled in bearings formed in the sides of iso ends H- of which are'bifurcated and slidably'. engage grooif'es 7 5 of the sleeves 69 to control the sleeves. The lever'72 extends through a slot'ovv of the casing and is connected by means of a link 7 7kwith a "lever 78 pivoted upon one 'of the-frame members 11 and in `turnconnected 'by means 0f a link 79 withA a hand lever 80 by means of which it can be controlled. Upon the casing Gel is a housing 81 into'whiehhthe lever72 extends and the side of the housing and at a lug `S7 of the stem, wliich'forces'the plate normally to-.4

ward the lever 7 2. The arrangement issuch that when the-lever 72 is engaged by one of i the notches 84C, one of the gears 70 ofv each of the. sleevesd (i9 engages the corresponding gear' 7l,4 and when the other of the notches 84 engages the lever .7 2 the other of the gears 70 of each of the sleeves 69 engages the corresponding geai 7l. That is, according to the position of the lever 72 the axle sections GG and theA driving wheels 67 are driven in one direct-ion or the other by means of the shafts 58. The stem 85 is connected by means of a flexible member 88 passing overa. suitable pulley 89 with an arm 90 rigid with the sha-ft .29. The latterV has a rigid pedal 91 by means of which it can be conf.

troll'ed to actuate the stem 85.

By .providing the disk 33 which cannot move longitudinally of the shaft 30, and the movable disk which can be adjusted, the strain due to the fiictional: Contact between the disksand the rollers, is directed. longitudinally of the shaft and does not affect the bearing to any appreciable extent. Furthermore, the strain does not tend to' distort the friet-ion disks -nor i's it unequally applied theretov to an extent which Would render them liable to excessive wear. The sectional forni of the sleeves 39 permits the frame of t-lie vehicle to distort owing to inequalities of the road or for other reasons, without injuring or straining the mechanism. To add furthergexibility to the construction each of the shafts 58 has a universal joint 58a.

' Having thus described my invention l claim as new, and desire lo secure by Letters latent:

l'. ln a variable speed gear, a shaft, a plurality of friction disks upon said shaft, further shafts, and driving and driven rollers arrangedbetween said disks on said further vshaft respectively, said first shaft extending between said disks, saidV further shafts extending between said disks at angles with .sa-id first shaft'and intersecting the saine.

' In a-variable, speed geafga shaft, a plu- .;Vrality offriction disks upon said shaft, further shafts, and driving and driven rollers arranged between said disks on said further sl; .i'fts respectively, said further shafts being niovably pported by said first shaft, each of said driven rollers being alined with one of said driving rollers. 1

3. In a variable speed gear, a shaft, a plui'ality of friction disks spa ed and mounted 'thereon, a plurality of driving rollers each positioned between two 'adjacent disks, a plurality of driven rollers 'each positioned beta-'een two adjacentdisks, and'iiieans for movably carrying said rollers, said means beinesupported by said shaft.

ln .a variable speed gear, a friction disk, means niovably supporting the same, a driving rollerl and a driven roller adapted nivablyto engage said disk, means for sin'iiiltaneously controlling said rollers whereby the chantre in the speed of rotation of one is Y a multiple of the cliai'ige in the speed of rotation of said disk, and means for movably carrying said rollers, said last-mentioned means being supported `by said first-nientioned means.

ln a variable speed gear, disk, a driving roller and a driven roller adapted movably to engage said disk, means simultaneoiisly controlling said rollers whereby as 'one is .moved toward the periphery of said disk the other isinoved away from the periphery, a shaft for said disk, and further shafts for said rollers, said first shaft movably supporting said further shafts. Y

6. In a variable speed gear, a disk, adriving roller movable radially with respect to said disk and controlling the same, a driven froller movable radially with respect to said disk'and controlled thereby, means for simultaneously operating said rollers whereby the saine can be simultaneously moved in opposite directions with respect to said disk, means for operating said disk toreleasesaid rollers, ashaft for said disks, further shafts for said rollers respectively, and means for supporting said further shafts on said first shaft.

.7. in a variable speed gear, driving shafts, rollers thereon, means fordriving said shafts in opposite directions, a friction disk ,between said rollers, further friction disks at the ouside of said rollers', driven shafts, rollers on said-driven shafts and each arranged between said first disk and one of said further disks, means for simultaneously controlling said driving rollers and said driven rollers, and common means for mov- -ably supporting said disks and .said shafts.

of said driven shafts and each arranged between said first disk and one of. said further disks, means for simultaneously moving said driving rollers and said driven rollers in opposite directions, means for operating one of said further disks to control the engage-ment between said rollersand said disks, and a shaft for said disks, said last mentioned shaft serving as a support for said other shafts.

9. In a variable speed gear,V a cross shaft, friction disks rigid therewith, a furt-her frietion disk loose upon said shaft intermediate said first disks, driving rollers each arranged Ibetween said further disk and one of said said shafts intersecting said iii-st shafts.

10. In a variable speed gear, across shaft, friction disks constrained to rotate therewith, a further disk intermediate said first disks and free to rotate upon said shaft, driving shafts arranged to rotate in'opposite direc:-`

tions, sleeves loosely carried by said Cross shaft and having bearings to receive the ends of said driving shafts, sleeves slidable upon 'said driving shaft-s and constrained to i rotate therewith, driving rollers rigid with said sleeves and each arranged between said further disk and one of sai first disks',

`driven shafts," said sleeves of said cross shaft y having'bearings to receive the ends of Said driven shafts, .sleeves 'slidable upon said driven shafts and constrained to rotate therewith, driven rollers rigid with said sleeves of said 'driven shafts and each arranged between said further disk and one of said rst disks, ineans for simultaneously controlling said sleeves of said driving shafts and said ldriven'sliaf-ts, and means for operating onel 

